The Scourging
by Jkl33311
Summary: A new arrival at Redwall brings a terrible story from the north, a ruthless army is coming for Mossflower and Redwall. Now, all the region and beyond must stand together or die alone. The prophecy foretells: four people will rise, three will fall.
1. Prologue

A/N: This pretty much goes without saying, but I don't write like Brian Jacques and my story address some things he wouldn't even consider putting in a book. Don't complain about that mm'kay? This story is a STRONG "T", border lining M, please keep that in mind.

**The Scourging**

**Part 1: The Journey**

**Part 2: The Gathering**

**Part 3: A Prophesy Fulfilled**

**~*~Prologue~*~**

Scrumchin the hedgehog, perhaps the oldest thing in Redwall, scratched away on an old piece of parchment. He occasionally dipped his quill into the jar of ink while writing. His eyeglasses were extremely thick and his eyes were clouded with age. He continued to write, ignoring his arthritic hand. He long monastery robes were as dusty as the scrolls stacked around him. The number of people at Redwall had been dwindling for seasons, and why not? What allure did an old abbey have next to the nearby town? In times long gone, Redwall was the center of Mossflower wood (what was left of it), now it was merely a relic, tended to by some of the oldest animals in the whole area.

A fly casually landed on the old creature's nose. He waved it off with his stiff hand, only to have it land again. After three more tries it finally drifted off onto a shelf. It was hard to accept what this place had become. Its heyday was gone. They say that the place had so many residents that houses were built on the outside of the walls to accommodate them. That's how it started. More and more people congregated around the abbey, seeking its protective walls against vermin. Eventually, Redwall became like a castle with a town around it. After several seasons however, the town ran away from the abbey. Now the town (nearing being a city) wasn't centered on the ancient abbey, but on the courthouse lying in the middle of the flatlands to the west. There was even a road to the coast now, where this ever-growing settlement could trade with others. It was fast becoming a bustling place.

The old hedgehog laid down his pen and smiled. He leaned back and closed his eyes, envisioning this place in the olden times. Great feasts would be held in the Great Hall, packed with animals from all over the land. The walls of the Abbey had stood many sieges and the red stones still stood, although they had cracked in many places. There used to be a full staff here. The Abbot would attend to several, sometimes dozens of patients, even more if there was a battle. The Abbot now was an old mouse, almost older than Scrumchin himself. The cellar was once completely stocked with all ales and forms of drink, it even had a cellar master. Of course, it was completely empty now. The kitchen was once the busiest place in the Abbey, completely full of cooks and with the head chef leading the madness. Now, only one of the few remaining mouse maidens cooked there for a few minutes a day. There weren't many to cook for. It was the way of the world however. Some things are born, some things die. Perhaps this place's time had come. Scrumchin opened his eyes; he stared at the walls, still red as the day they were first chiseled into place.

"Oh, if these stones could talk." He muttered to himself. "The history they would tell." The door to the library opened. "Speaking of which..." A young mouse, barely out of being a babe, scampered into the room and ran up to the elder hedgehog. The recorder gazed down at the child and smiled. "Always making a ruckus Cogly." He stated the young mouse. The small child had piece of his ear missing, an "old war wound." His fur was slightly lighter in color than the original inhabitants of Mossflower. People of the town outside had begun to mix with animals from other regions, particular the towns up north (where lighter fur was prevalent). This was mostly due to the free trade and friendly rapport they had with one another.

"I got bored gramps." Cogly stated. "Tell me a story." The hedgehog smiled and, with some great effort, managed to stand. His arthritis was beginning to take its toll on his entire body. He shuffled to a shelf of scrolls, staring across the old parchments.

"What story shall I tell today?" Scrumchin asked. He didn't mind the little troublemaker. The area of town around Redwall was the oldest. The buildings had begun to decay and poorer, less fortunate people had taken up residence. The young dibbuns, to use an old Redwall vernacular, often got themselves into trouble in such bad conditions. Scrumchin was more than happy to keep the little child occupied. "How about the story of Matthias the first who saved Redwall from Cluny?"

"Boooooring!" Cogly shouted. "'Heard it a million times before, something newer!" Scrumchin fingered his way through the scrolls.

"Mattimeo the first?"

"Heard it."

"Hmmm, Longfletch and the Tears of all Oceans?"

"Didn't like it."

"How about the old tale of Lord Brocktree?"

"C'mon gramp Scrummy, surely there's something I haven't read before!" The old hedgehog smiled.

"Alright, I'll reach waaaay back here." The old animal grunted and reached into the shelf as far as he could. When he grasped he caught on something unusual. "That's odd..." It was a string. Despite the fact that he was fighting off clouds of dust, he pulled the string. He heard a loud clunk off to his right. He jerked his head to discover that a piece of the wall had popped open, revealing a hidden, hinged door.

"Cool!!!" Cogly shouted, running over to it. "Is it a secret passage." Scrumching shuffled over, a shocked expression on his face.

"I couldn't have..." He muttered. "After countless seasons of searching...I couldn't have found it so easily."

"What is it gramps!?" Cogly demanded.

"It's a hidden cache of scrolls." Scrumchin explained. "It contains lost scrolls from Redwall's history, some...inappropriate things..."

"Like what?" Cogly asked. The hedgehog reached into the new, open space.

"Never you mind." He replied. There had been rumors that Redwall housed some scrolls of less than holy nature. That, quite a long time ago, someone recorded stories of a sexual and perverted nature. When an Abbot discovered them, he was both disgusted and amazed. They were written incredibly well. It seemed wrong to destroy them, so he hid them away. Scrumchin had just discovered this cache. When he removed one of the scrolls he unrolled it and read the text. The ghastly offensive words, describing secret places of bodies even made the old recorder blush. These were the scrolls. He quickly stuffed them under his arm, planning to show them to his Abbot, not out of shock, but to reveal that it was all true. When he reached in for the last time, he removed a clutch of four scrolls together. He was about to stuff them in with the others, when he noticed that there was a seal on them. He paused and squinted at it. It was the official seal...used by the Emperors of the north. He could not stop his jaw from dropping.

"It can't be!" He nearly shouted.

"What!? What!?!?!" Shouted Cogly, the suspense was killing him. Scrumchin marched over to his desk and dumped the perverse stories onto his desk. He then sat down and undid the binding on the scrolls. He readjusted his glasses and confirmed his suspicion.

"This is the tale of the Scourging." Scrumchin explained to the anxious child. "It is one of the most important tales in all of Redwall...and the scroll detailing it has been lost for some time. We could only tell the story as it was handed down...but to have an actual eye-witness testimony..." The elderly animal ran his hands over the old parchment. "A piece of history, in my hands..."

"Can you read it to me gramps?" Cogly asked. The old Hedgehog turned and faced the child, the scroll spread out in front of him.

"It would be my honor."


	2. Book 1: Chapter 1

**Book 1: The Journey**

**~*~Chapter One~*~**

A mouse marched further and further south. He had been walking for endless days, always heading south. He was sad that winter had come to an end. Traveling in winter had been a complete nightmare...but if the weather got warm then it would begin again. The winter had taken its toll on him as well. He was quickly becoming thin and gaunt. His skin was beginning to be pulled taught against his ribs. He had walked so far that the calluses on his feet had begun to bleed. Still, he marched on and on. He had entered the outskirts of the Mossflower Woods, almost to his final destination.

He sighed at the sky, watching his breath. The mist emanating from his mouth had slowly decreased, night after night. The sun had set and darkness had set upon the woods. The moon hung high in the sky, full and bright. So he kept walking, ignoring the pain on his bloody feet. He was an unusual mouse, in terms of Mossflower. His fur was almost so light that only faintest hint of brown could be seen on it. His eyes were an unusual blue. Strapped on his back was a weapon that these woods had never laid eyes upon. It consisted of a long staff with a curved blade attached to the end of it. His clothing was thick, indicating that where he originally came from was cold.

As he walked in silence, he listened to the deathly quiet forest. He didn't like it, for multiple reasons. Complete silence allowed his mind to wander, especially to places he didn't want to remember. These dark woods reminded him of what many people had told him about the afterlife, the Dark Forest. It was a place he couldn't go to, not yet. Finally, silence just made his skin crawl. Considering what he had seen in his lifetime, silence only made him feel that predators were circling him.

A single twig snap set him off. In the time it took most creatures to blink, he grabbed onto his weapon, slid it out of its holder and held it at a battle ready position. He froze. Not even a single whisker dared to twitch on his face. Something chuckled malevolently. The mouse jerked his head towards the noise, his blue eyes scouring the dark.

"We've been found out boys!" A stoat, armed in haggardly armor and a sword emerged from the dark. From all sides, rats, stoats and a single, large weasel skulked towards the mouse. The mouse showed no sign of being distressed in the slightest. He stood still, his weapon held low, ready to strike. The vermin circled him, viciously satisfied expressions on their faces. Judging from how their armor did not fit themselves, it was safe to assume that it was stolen

"Yer better give up pal!" The large weasel shouted. "We just want yer armor and food!"

"I have no food." The mouse replied quietly. "And my armor was given to me by my Emperor, you may not have it."

"Well, whoever this Imp-er-err is, he ain't gonna get it back!" The weasel shouted again. "Take it off of him boys!!" A rat stepped forward and grabbed the mouse by the shoulder. In a single breath, the weapon in the mouse's hands turned over and cut at the vermin. The mouse shrieked and fell backwards. His arm flew through the air, away from his body, sending blood everywhere. Even as blood splashed upon the mouse, he didn't seem phased in the slightest. He flipped the weapon back over and stabbed the rat in the chest. The vermin gurgled in pain as it died. The mouse was cold and proficient, as if he had performed this action a million times before. All of the vermin reeled in shock. He did this before any of them could react! The weasel was finally able to regain his composure.

"Rush 'em!!" He shouted. All the vermin charged at the mouse. Despite his malnutrition, he acted as if it had no affect on him at all. In a series of deft movements, he disabled the weapons of the miscreants and cut into their bodies ruthlessly. They assailed him over and over again, only to be repulsed. Every move he made was a cold, calculated decision. Each move led up to another. Each of the vermin fell to the ground one-by-one, gripping the parts of their bodies that gushed with blood. Eventually all had fallen to the ground, save for the one large weasel. He stared with wide eyes as his easy, starving target killed all of the others. When he was finished, the mouse lowered his weapon and stared his blue eyes at the last remaining vermin.

"Want a try?" He asked curtly. The weasel took a step back. The mouse moved with a speed that the vermin thought was impossible. He charged forward, but flipped his weapon over backwards. He struck the weasel across the side of the face, sending it ungracefully onto the ground. When the stars cleared from his eyes, the weasel saw that a blade was in front of his face. All the blood drained from his brain. The mouse stared down at him, mercilessly.

"Tell me." The mouse said. "Where is Redwall?" The weasel couldn't breathe, much less think. The blade of the weapon dipped until it made contact with his forehead. He paused, as if waiting to cleave into his brain. "I said, where is Redwall!?!" The vermin shook with terror.

"K-keep following the path!" The weasel shouted. "It's along the road! Please...don't kill me!!!" The mouse scoffed. He lifted his weapon up and re-secured it into its sheath on his back.

"You're not worth it." He stated. He resumed his march, ignoring the fact that he was still covered with blood. The weasel however, could not repress his foul instincts.

He picked up his sword and charged at the animal's exposed back. As his sword came down, it only hit air. The mouse side-stepped and reached for his weapon once again. In a move that could only be described as elegant, he spun around and cut through the weasel's torso.

"No second chances." The mouse said coldly. It was the last thing the vermin ever heard. His body fell in two pieces. The mouse sighed and lowered his blade. He reached into his under-stuffed pack and removed a cloth, already red from previous opponents' blood. He wiped his weapon clean. The last thing he wanted on it was rust.

A rustling noise sent him back into his battle stance. He once again, stood as a still as a statue, listening. The rustling sounded again. This time it was followed by a muffled scream. The mouse began walking towards the noise, his weapon at the ready. After walking into the woods a ways, he came upon a bush that moved periodically. As he circled around it, he found an animal tied to it. It was a young female squirrel. Her eyes widened at seeing the thin, undernourished mouse, covered in blood and wielding a strange weapon. The mouse sheathed his weapon before kneeling down beside her.

"I won't hurt you." He stated bluntly. The squirrel's tear-stained face watched his every move regardless. She had some sort of cloth gag over her mouth. The mouse reached around her and, with some effort, released her ropes from around the bush. The squirrel jerked her hands free and promptly removed the covering from her mouth. She coughed up saliva that had gathered in her mouth. She shuddered as she collapsed to the ground. A few sobs escaped from her mouth as she tried to recover from her ordeal. She finally stared up at the mouse that saved her. She wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Thank you." She said quietly. The mouse didn't respond. The squirrel maiden eyed the blood covering his fur and strange armor. "Did you kill them?"

"Yes."

"Good. They slaughtered my family." The girl's eyes welled up with tears again. They only kept her around for entertainment. She didn't feel the need to tell the mouse what kind. The mouse's blue eyes stared as she cried. He didn't disturb her as she finally released her emotions. It was some time before she was able to speak again. She had brought her knees to her chest and sobbed into them. The mouse waited patiently. Finally, her sobs let up. She raised her head and wiped her face once again. Only then did the mouse speak.

"What is your name?" He asked. The girl took a few deep breaths before answering.

"I'm...Arela Bushtail." She stated.

"My name is Hiro." The mouse stated. "Tell me Arela, do you know where Redwall is?"

"Of course." Arela replied. "All woodland creatures do. I was running there when they caught me."

"Would you happen to know a shortcut?" Hiro asked again.

"Squirrels don't take the path." Arela informed him. "We jump along the trees, it's a lot faster. Can you climb?"

"The sooner I get to Redwall, the better." Hiro stated. "I can **learn** to climb."

Abbot Duncan was roused from his sleep by a fly landing on his nose. He twitched his nose, sending it away. He yawned and stretched. He had been sleeping in the sunlight, and thus the warmth lulled him into slumber. He was rather young for an Abbot mouse. It was his fourth season as Abbot, and it had been rather boring so far. The winter had been rather mild, with few day of snow. This heralded a hot summer, so he had been told. Plants were about to grow, but not yet. As such, Redwall was in that pleasant small time in which the weather was warm and there was nothing to do.

The Abbot wiped his mouth and stood. He had been attempting to read a book on botany written by Abbess Vale. The warm sunlight made him nod off. He decided to take a stroll through abbey. It wasn't too long until dinner anyway. Judy the hedgehog and Myra the otter maid would probably be in mid-wrangle with the Dibbuns for their baths. Perhaps they required some help. He descended down from the library to arrive at the open lawn. It was a hive of activity. Merrila, a very old mouse and perhaps senile, was busy planting seeds of flowers. She couldn't remember his name, but she could plant better than anyone in all of Mossflower. Duncan ignored her, primarily because of the fact that last time he acknowledged her she accused him of being vermin and hit him with a muddy shovel.

Halfway to the dormitories the door to the building swung open. A mole child dashed out of the place, suds streaming from his body. Judy, a bloated hedgehog mother chased after him, holding a sponge.

"Yo ain't goin' teh get moi, no surr!!" The mole shouted as he ran past the Abbot. "Oi don' need no warshin'!!!" The hedgehog mother showed no sign of slowing.

"Get back here you little snapping turtle!!" She shouted. "Or you'll go to be with no vittles!!!" The mole ignored the warning as the spiny woman continued the chase. The Abbot stared for a moment, before deciding that he wanted none of that. He instead changed direction and headed towards the kitchens. So close to dinner, it was buzzing with excitement. The cook, an almost obese mouse, was shouting orders like a general.

"Stir that Hotroot soup!!" He shouted. "Those moles won't eat anything else and if we ruin it they won't dig!!! Hey!! Who left this vegetable pie in the over this long!!!" He pushed one of his assistant mice out of the way. He reached into the oven and removed the pie himself. "If you're going to cook it, cook it right!! Otherwise you might as well not cook at all!!!"

"Good evening Friar Gilsem." The Abbot said kindly. The Friar threw the pie onto a table and sucked on his thumb which he burnt.

"Good evening Abbot." He replied. "Although not such a good evening for me! Every season more and more people arrive at this abbey, and I have to cook for them all!!" The Abbot smiled as he eyed a plate of scones, left unattended.

"Well, we have to feed all those who are hungry," The Abbot began, snaking his hand towards the plate. "It's in our charter..." There was a hiss and whack. The Friar brought his wooden spoon down upon the Abbot's hand. The Abbot reeled, holding his hand. "Owwww!!! Friar Gilsem, you just assaulted your Abbot!"

"Is it also in our charter that all food is free to take!?" The Friar asked back. Two hares just happened to be emerging from the cellar at that moment, hauling a barrel of cordial ale for the night's meal. They stared wantonly at the food. The Friar pointed at the two creatures. "I have a hard enough time keeping the gaping maws of these beasts at bay! I have an army of hares to feed!! Now come on Abbot, I have work to do!" The Abbot "hmphed" in mock anger and marched out of the room. He'd hardly have called four hares an "army." One of the hares winked at him.

"His 'old on the food is bally-well criminal, eh?" The hare asked. Abbot Duncan nodded before exiting the kitchen.

When he reemerged onto the lawn he sighed in complacency. Everyone in the Abbey was busy, but himself. His job was to be the leader, to give order and to run the infirmary if there were any sick. It seemed no one needed instructions and everyone was well. There was only one person he could think of that could possibly be as bored as he. He began marching to the gatehouse, the residence of the gatekeeper and recorder of Redwall. The Abbot only knocked once before entering.

"Corg? Are you in here?" He asked. A shrew, working at a desk scribbling on parchment looked up.

"Oh, hello Abbot." Corg said cordially. "Is there something I can do for you?" The Abbot sighed and closed the door behind him.

"You could tell me you need my help." The Abbot replied. Corg smiled and put his quill into the ink jar. He sat back in his chair.

"The Abbey just a little too peaceful?" He asked.

"No, the Abbey is as busy as it could be." The Abbot replied. "I just have nothing to do." The shrew offered the Abbot a chair.

"Well, my door is open as always." The Abbot took his seat across from his old friend. They had known each other since they were little Dibbuns inside Redwall. They were from this Abbey, born and raised.

"Redwall has seen many peaceful seasons." The Abbot stated. "Nothing interesting has happened in such a long time, apart from the stray traveler that ridiculous Firgil the Great in the forest." Corg laughed at that statement.

"That ferret doesn't know his head from his tail." Corg replied. "He's too scared to get close to the Abbey. He's just a ruffian who harasses us when he go berry-picking."

"All the same," Abbot Duncan stated. "A little excitement could do us some good." He patted his engorged stomach. "Lately, even Lopear and his family are getting fat along with the rest of us."

"Peace is what we've always wanted." Corg replied. "I think we should relish it while it lasts." The bell tower sounded. Both creatures smiled and rose to their feet. "Well, vittles are always welcome, in times of peace and emergency."

"Quite right my fried." The Abbot stated. They exited the gatehouse, only to discover that Darendin, the appointed Redwall warrior and Lopear and his family of hares rushing to gates with swords at the ready. Darendin was wielding the legendary sword of Martin the Warrior.

"Seems like you go your wish." Corg whispered.

"What seems to be hubbub?" The Abbot inquired.

"That was an emergency bell." Darendin informed him. "There are two creatures outside the gates, and they're in terrible condition. We can't tell if their vermin or not." The Abbot put on a serious face and turned to march towards the gates. He and Corg grabbed onto the board barring the gates from opening. The creatures on the other sides were already banging on the great doors. Corg and Abbot Duncan both stared at each other before nodding. They heaved the log away from the door, allowing it to open.

Two creatures fell into the Abbey. Five animals stood read, with swords. The two unfortunate animals collapsed upon their entry. They were ragged, and bloody. One of them, a mouse, raised up his head.

"Please..." He groaned weakly. "Help us." The Abbot turned to some of the onlookers from a distance.

"Bring us some water!" He shouted. Several of them obeyed. He motioned towards the clan of hares. "Lopear, you and your family haul them to the infirmary!" The hares nodded. "Darendin, you keep an eye on them." As the hares approached the two injured folks, they sheathed their weapons. As soon as they grabbed the unfortunately creatures, one of them jumped.

He grabbed the youngest of them all, the daughter of the family, and jerked her away from their family. He pulled out a knife and held it to her throat.

"Back!" The rat shouted. "Back, the lot of you!!" All the Redwall residence backed away. The other rat jumped up and pulled out a sword. He stood by his comrade, ready to fight.

"Stay back you Redwallers!" The other rat shouted. "Just knew you'd fall for the pitiful traveler shtick!" The hare maid stood still with the knife at her throat. Abbot Duncan bit his lip. This wasn't what he meant. "Firgil the Great is tired of you spendin' all your time up here with all them vittles! Bring us all you got! It's been a hard winter!!" It had been a light winter, but that wasn't the point. Abbot Duncan was expected to be the leader. He was going to have to step up.

"Tela!" The Abbot shouted at the hare. The girl looked at him. "Don't fight them; we don't need a death over food." The rabbit nodded delicately, trying not to stab herself with the knife. The mouse turned to Friar Gilsem who had emerged from his kitchen to see what the commotion was about. "Get our...guests some food won't you?" The fat mouse nodded darkly. He marched into the kitchen, preparing to grab some of the things he had just cooked.

"Good deal you church mice!" The rat with the knife stated. "You should know who really owns these woods!" It burned Abbot Duncan up inside to relent to that statement. The founders of Redwall Abbey had fought tooth and claw to free these woods ages ago, descendants of these forefathers spilled their blood to protect this place and some vermin thug thinks he can just walk in and take it!? Still, pride was no reason to lose a life.

Arela was impressed with the mouse's prowess. He figured out how to climb like a squirrel in a matter of minutes. Then they were both hopping across trees like real pros, practically speeding towards Redwall. The mouse was unlike any Arela had seen before. His fur was brown, but had some sort of white undercoat. Not to mention those eyes, despite her ordeal, every time she looked at them she found their blue color alluring. The red stoned began to appear in between the trees. Arela hopped the last tree, so that she might jump from it to the walls, but she stopped. From that angle, she could see the gate. A descendant of Lopear was being held hostage...by some of the same vermin that assaulted her. Hiro jumped onto the branch beside her, sitting as if were a squirrel himself.

"What's wrong?" Hiro asked. Arela didn't respond. Her mind had frozen in terror and flashbacks to the horrific past few days. Hiro followed her line of sight and saw what was happening. He growled in frustration and unsheathed his unusual weapon. "Impenetrable my foot, stay here." He needn't have said the last part.

In a giant leap, he landed on the outside wall. As if he wasn't starving, he ran along the wall like a wisp of the wind. A few of the beasts inside Redwall saw him. They gawked at the unusual sight. The vermin didn't notice however, and that's what counted. Hiro stopped over the gate house. He took a deep breath, held his weapon ready, and jumped off the edge.

As if the distance to the ground was nothing more than a few feet, he landed gracefully. The vermin holding the hare maid hostage turned his head. Hiro jammed the blade of his weapon in between the maiden's head and vermin's. Then he turned his weapon, forcing their heads apart. The bladed side of his weapon faced the vermin's neck.

"Who're..." The vermin didn't finish his sentence. Hiro cut as hard as he could. The rat's head flew off with surprising ease. The female hare, now soaked in blood, shrieked and ran to her father. She had been trained to fight, but had yet to see someone die. This was a shocking first experience to death. The other vermin was frozen with fright. Hiro's appearance was a terrifying one. His weapon was dripping and he was still covered in dried blood from last night. He almost looked like a walking skeleton. When the rat finally did regain his wits, he raised his sword and charged. It was the dumbest thing he ever did. When he cut at the experience warrior, Hiro batted his sword away with his weapon. While the rat was reeling, Hiro casually thrust his weapon into his chest, stabbing him in the heart. They both stood still for a moment, Hiro holding the vermin up. Then he jerked his pole weapon free. With a gush of blood, the rat fell to the ground.

Nonchalantly, Hiro extracted an already blood-stained cloth and began cleaning his blade. He would have to grease it as soon as he could, to prevent rust. He wiped some of the fresh blood from his face. His blue eyes turned to the residents of Redwall, who by this time had all gathered. Friar Gilsem dropped his vegetable pies at the sight. Hiro's blue eyes studied them all.

"So," He began. "This is the undefeatable Redwall Abbey huh?"

A/N: Review are GREATLY appreciated. I will try to upload a chapter for every review I get.


	3. Book 1: Chapter 2

**~*~Chapter Two~*~**

Abbot Duncan was too stunned to speak. He hadn't witnessed violence to that degree in all his life. On occasion, the inhabitants of Redwall were forced to defend themselves against Firgil and his ridiculous vermin, but it consisted of nothing more than throwing stones at them. Now, two rats lay dead at the Abbey gates. Blood was pouring out everywhere. The most unnerving thing was the mouse that had done it all. He was so unusual looking. His blue eyes reminded most of the tale of Swartt Sixclaw. He was obviously a mouse however. He was so covered in blood that it was hard to see a clean spot. The Abbot finally gathered his senses. Despite his brutal tactics, he did save an Abbey dweller. The Abbot turned his head to make sure Tela was alright. Her father had released her to her adopted sister, Annabel. The two sisters held each other in silence. Daire Lopear, the father of the family stepped forward, his sword ready. The Abbot held up his hand.

"Step back Daire." Abbot Duncan instructed. "Even if you did attack him, I think he would win." The hare stepped back, but still eyed the mouse. The Abbot turned to the new arrival. "While...I deplore your methods, I thank you for saving a member of our abbey." Hiro turned his sapphire eyes towards the Abbot.

"Abbey?" He asked. "This place is an abbey?"

"Yes." Abbot Duncan replied. "This is Redwall Abbey."

"Abbey." Hiro replied. "This legendary undefeatable fortress is full of church animals?" His tone was incredulous and if offended the Abbot.

"Yes." Abbot Duncan replied curtly. "This is Redwall Abbey. We have seen many sieges and survived them all." Hiro growled and glanced down at the ground. He was silent for several moments. He sighed, apparently in resignation.

"Forgive me." Hiro finally said. "I have traveled many miles to reach this place." The Abbot relaxed a little. "I expected a castle or fortress. Imagine my surprise when I see this."

"I see." The Abbot replied. "We may be Abbey dwellers, but we can be formidable fighters."

"You better be." Hiro replied. The Abbot tensed up again. What did that mean? Hiro raised his head up to the sky. "Arela!!! You can come down now!!" The Abbot appeared surprised.

"Arela?" The squirrel had been watching, mesmerized by Hiro's ruthless response to those vermin who killed her family. When Hiro called her name, she jumped onto the wall and dashed across it towards the gatehouse. She jumped down from it and landed next to him. She instantly seized onto his arm and held on for dear life. Her eyes were wide. The Abbot was shocked. Arela and her family had been friends of the Abbey. She looked worse for wear and absolutely terrified. "What did you do!?" The Abbot demanded. Hiro's blue eyes pierced through him as he glared at the Abbot.

"If I did anything to her, do you honestly think she would be holding onto me?" Hiro said, reasonably. The Abbot narrowed his eyes. The look on Arela's eyes was one of horror. "You can let go now Arela." Arela shook her head back and forth.

"Arela," The Abbot said. "Where is your family?"

"Dead." Arela said. All of the Abbey dwellers reeled. The Bushtails had long been friends of Redwall. They often gathered and traded food with one another.

"Who killed them!?" The Abbot demanded, eyeing Hiro.

"Firgil's vermin." Arela explained, tightening her grip on Hiro. "They kidnapped me and hurt me. He saved me. He killed them...all of them."

"The poor girl's traumatized." Hiro explained. He turned to Arela. "We're safe now. We're at Redwall." He turned back to the residents. "Would someone please come and get her?" At first, none of the Abbey dwellers moved. Finally Judy, the mother hog of the Abbey, stepped forward. She cautiously walked towards Arela. Hiro didn't move an inch, trying not to scare either of them.

"Let him go honey." Judy said, prying Arela's hands off the mouse. Arela shook and resisted as the old, but strong hedgehog pulled her away. Judy finally succeeded and pulled Arela away. She jerked the squirrel away from Hiro and began rushing her towards the dormitories. The Abbot put his hands in his sleeves.

"It appears we owe you a debt...Mister..." The Abbot stated, wanting to know the mouse's name.

"Just Hiro." Hiro replied.

"Well, Hiro, perhaps you would like some food...and a bath."

"It would be appreciated."

"Bath first."

The Abbot did not feel comfortable allowing Hiro into any of the rooms of the Abbey, so he gave him a large bucket, a bar of soap and instructed him towards the pond. The Abbot was then surprised when Hiro stripped down and began bathing himself. He didn't seem bothered that people saw him naked. The Dibbuns and several of the young women were rushed away. That when the Abbot got an eyeful, but not inappropriate one.

He had noticed that Hiro had been thin, but he had no idea how much until his armor came off. Every single one of his ribs was visible. His spine was poking through his back and his hips clearly showed his pelvis. What was most unsettling was how many scars this poor mouse had. He entire back and torso were covered with old scars. It appeared as if his back had been whipped. His front had countless scars from stabs and cuts from blades. A few apparently narrowly missed his heart. His feet were also a horror. They were bleeding in several places and when he scrubbed them, most of the blisters and calluses popped. He didn't seem bothered by this and cleaned his feet anyway. It took him quite a long time to scrub all the blood out of his fur. The Abbot's opinion of this mouse changed when he saw all this. He was obviously a person who had endured much pain and anguish in his life. The Abbot brought him some new clothes as he was cleaning his armor.

"We'll wash your clothes if you like." Abbot Duncan said.

"It's fine." Hiro replied. "I got the blood on them." The Abbot placed the clothes close to him.

"We're going to be eating soon." The Abbot informed him. "Would you care to join us?"

"I'm fine out here." Hiro replied.

"You saved two friends of our Abbey." The Abbot said. "The least we can do is invite you to dinner. I'm sure you have a tale to tell." Hiro stopped cleaning his armor. His blue eyes stared at the Abbot.

"I did come to tell you something." Hiro said.

"Good, you can tell us over dinner." Hiro didn't respond for several moments.

"As you wish, it won't be pleasant conversation however."

The dinner table was quiet. Everyone kept glancing at Hiro. In abbey clothes he looked like a ghost, ready to be blown away by the wind. The Dibbuns were already questioning whether he was a malevolent spirit or some ghoul of a vermin. Still, Myra the otter mother instructed him to wait until the Abbot said a prayer. She said it while cradling her baby away from Hiro, so he got the feeling it wasn't to be kind. As all the hot, delicious food passed in front of him his blue eyes dug into them. He was raring to go. The Abbot stood, realizing that the wait was killing Hiro.

"Let us bow our heads in prayer." He instructed. All the animals in room followed suit, save for Hiro who merely stared at the mouse Abbot.

_We give thanks to the seasons_

_For this bountiful harvest_

_And we hope that our bountiful days_

_Of peace and good fortune_

_Continue on forever. Amen._

As soon as every creature issued an "amen" they all raised their heads. Tela, although still apprehensive about him, cautiously handed Hiro a single scone. Hiro nodded at her, took it and then promptly shoved into his mouth ravenously. This seemed to be a signal. All the creatures began handing food to him, as if seeing how much he could eat. Each morsel of food was shoved into his mouth in desperation, as if he had been holding his hunger back until now.

"He's even worse than the hares." Friar Gilsem whispered to Abbot Duncan. Despite the fact that he completely lacked manners, all the animals of the table continued to hand him food. He ungracefully shoveled it into his mouth. After several minutes of this, the Abbot cleared his throat. The food at the table was fast disappearing.

"All of us need to eat everyone." They all turned away from Hiro, and began eating lightly, trying to save food for him. As soon as Hiro finished all the food on his plate, the Abbot turned to him. "Now then, care to tell us why you have come to our Abbey?" Hiro stopped for a moment. He cleared bits of food away from his face and leaned up from his plate.

"It's not pleasant dinner conversation." Hiro stated.

"You came all the way here to tell us something." The Abbot said. "And all creatures of the Abbey are present, now would be the right time."

"As you wish." Hiro said. Everyone, including the Dibbuns, leaned in close. "I came from an Empire in the far north. It has existed for thousands of seasons. We were ruled over by an Emperor Badger or what you might call a King. However, two seasons ago it fell. We were attacked for a third time by a ruthless army. This army attacked our lands three times over the course of ten seasons. The first time, we repelled them. The second time they inflicted heavy damage upon our lands but we pushed them back. The third time they annihilated my entire nation. We died in the tens of thousands. I was part of the Emperor's elite guard. We barricaded ourselves up in city as the entire country fell apart. We fought with our lives to protect the Emperor's infant son, the only known remaining descendant of our line. They laid siege to the city for two whole seasons, but we refused to give in. They finally broke through. They killed all the inhabitants and threw our infant Emperor from the walls to be smashed below. I barely survived, swam away across the river next to the town and began marching south. I have walked for two seasons to get here." The table was utterly silent. The Abbot made a motion with his hand towards the Dibbuns, who were completely wide-eyed. Judy and Myra quickly rushed them out of the room. They didn't provide much protest. No one felt like eating, not even the Lopear family.

"How did you survive if they killed everyone?" The Abbot asked. Hiro's blue eyes had been fixed on his plate as he told his story. Now they turned to the head mouse.

"I took two pieces of a soldier's body, laid them over me and hid in a pile of bodies. When no one was looking, I crawled into the river and swam for miles." The Abbot was right. This poor creature had gone through the gates of hell and returned.

"What is this army?" The Abbot asked.

"We call them the Scourge." Hiro explained. "They are vermin, as countless as the trees in this forest. They are led by monsters, the likes of which my people had never seen before. I was likely to be killed as I wondered south, but these monsters sleep when it gets cold. They will resume their march when it gets warm again...which is very soon."

"And you've come here because..."

"Because they are marching south. They have heard of the rich lands of Mossflower and of the undefeatable fortress of Redwall. They are coming for both."

A few minutes later, Hiro was sitting alone with the Abbot in his private chambers. The Abbot was, to say the least, perturbed by this latest development. There was no attempting to hide it either. The Abbot was glaring at the new arrival.

"That was one way of breaking the news to us." The Abbot stated. "Perhaps there could have been a better one."

"Maybe." Hiro replied. "But you insisted on me telling my story."

"Yes, well I think you scared everyone in the Abbey."

"Good. Everyone should be scared." The Abbot sighed in slight frustration. He could have probably broke the news a lot easier and without scaring the wits out of all the inhabitants.

"How ruthless is this army?" The Abbot asked. "Are they as bad as you say?"

"We had four major cities." Hiro explained. "They burnt the countryside, destroyed all of our food stuffs and laid siege to the cities. When they finally got through the walls they killed all the men, threw the babies over the top of the walls and did worse to the women before killing them."

"You witnessed this?" The Abbot asked.

"In the city I defended yes." Hiro replied. He didn't seem disturbed however. Walking for two seasons probably allowed him to collect his emotions.

"Then I am sorry for what you have seen." The Abbot said honestly. "This sort of thing is almost unheard of these days. Why is this army of vermin so cruel?"

"They are vermin, but organized." Hiro explained. "They are also made up of traitors and pirates. The monsters that lead them are intelligent, not dumb brutes."

"Yes, these monsters, what are they?" The Abbot asked. That was the part of the story he had problems with. He considers himself a reasonable person.

"I don't know what they are." He said. "They're...reptiles of some sort, five of them. They have these dotted scales all over them and they have venom in their mouths. They're cruel, they're smart...and they eat **us**." The Abbot's hand fell from his face.

"What!?" He shouted.

"After every battle we had, they took the captives and ate them in front of their army to keep them in line and scare us." The Abbot shivered. This sounded unbelievable.

"How many do they have?" The Abbot asked.

"They boasted ten thousand." The Abbot's blood ran cold. "However, that's more likely an exaggeration. I have no idea how many they have. I never bothered to count them." The Abbot began to feel nervous. If this was all true...

"This is all true?" The Abbot asked.

"Every word." Hiro stated. "The leaders of this army feel no pity for animals with fur. They will allow this army to burn the forest, they will kill every animal in this entire land and they will consume every resource. That is why we call them the Scourge. They scourge the land clean." The Abbot took a deep breath before shuddering.

"When will they be here?" The Abbot asked.

"Very soon." Hiro replied. The Abbot grew faint. This sounded unbelievable. The numbers this army boasted were unlike any since the days of Ungatt Trunn. The Abbot shook his head and leaned back in his chair. If Hiro told the truth, which was more probable than naught, a massive army was marching for Redwall, one that was more savage than Redwall had seen in centuries of seasons.

The Abbot turned back to Hiro...but really took a look at him. The poor mouse, despite stuffing his gut, was still in terrible condition. His ears were white from little circulation, his skull was pushing against his face and the bags under his eyes were running down his face. The Abbot realized that grilling the mouse would only be putting him through undue torture.

"You must be tired." The Abbot said. "Why don't you sleep and give us more details in the morning?"

"I would very much like that." Hiro said. His eyes were already blinking slowly.

"Why don't you go sleep in the infirmary? I'll show you the way."

No sooner had Hiro laid down upon a bed in the place of healing then he was out cold. The whole Abbey could have been laid siege to and ransacked and he wouldn't have noticed. All the Abbot could do was think about Hiro's poor feet. He convinced Judy and Daire Lopear to help the unfortunate mouse. Judy was to rub some healing ointments on his feet. Daire was to be there in case he started sleepwalking and tried to reenact a battle.

Judy showed concern as she pulled the shoes off Hiro's feet and stared at the scabs, blisters and bleeding calluses. She shook her head as she rubbed the healing herbs onto his feet.

"Poor creature." She said in passing. "He must have walked so far to get these kind of injuries."

"I don't like him at all." Daire responded.

"Oh come off it now." Judy replied harshly. "He may have scared Tela, but he did save her life." Daire crossed his arms and huffed.

"And telling that story over food, ruined my supper, wot wot!" Judy shook her head. A hare's stomach always came first it seemed. Hiro began muttering in his sleep.

"Dangerous thing to do if you're a guard." Judy noted at his mumbling. Daire only scoffed. He didn't like this "chap," even if he did save his daughter. Then Hiro's muttering became audible.

"Mmm...no...stay away...who?" Hiro muttered. Judy ignored it. "Mmm...uhhh...Martin." Both Judy and Daire froze. "Martin...the warrior?" He drifted off further into sleep and said no more. Both the hedgehog and the hare stared on, not sure what to do.

"By my ol' grammy's whiskers..." Daire exclaimed. What could Hiro be dreaming about?

Hiro's mind was fully of troubled visions, as his sleep always had been. He was back at the Siege of Nan-po. It was the devilish battle that nearly did him in. The vermin were like ghosts, swirling around him. No matter how he swung his weapon, it didn't hurt them at all. They were like piranhas circling him. He cried out in distress. Then the unexpected happened.

The ghosts cleared and beam of light struck him. He saw the shadow of beast, dressed in brilliant armor. They wielded a great sword (which looked oddly familiar) and a shield with a massive "M" on it. Then, as if by magic, the armor melted away and it revealed a mouse, dressed in robes. Hiro couldn't make out who it was. The light was blinding.

"Who are you!?"

"_I am Martin the Warrior!_"

"What do you want?" Then Martin's voice filled his head.

_The vermin that come, the heroes that die_

_All will fall unless you ally_

_All the regions of this land_

_From the hot south and the woods, to the western sand_

_This I foretell, if you wish to save them all_

_Four will rise, three will fall_

_And one will stand against the unending tide._


	4. Book 1: Chapter 3

**~*~Chapter Three~*~**

Hiro did not speak for two days straight. That was due to the obvious fact that he didn't wake up that entire time. He obviously had been without sleep for quite some time. His body was playing catch up. Those two days, Judy rubbed ointment on his feet and listened to his words. Unfortunately, he said nothing more. Many people who lay within these walls had been visited by Martin in their dreams. It was strange that he should visit a complete foreigner such as this one. Still, until Judy got Hiro's version, she and Daire remained silent. They didn't feel like tramping off telling everyone about something that could be nothing.

Abbot Duncan allowed Hiro to sleep as long as he wanted. He figured that when hunger finally overtook him he would awake. On the second day however, he, along with the rest of the abbey, were itching to hear about this deadly army marching their way. When Tela Lopear approached the Abbot and asked if she could thank Hiro for saving her life, the church mouse couldn't resist. He finally intruded into the infirmary with Tela. Her adopted sister Annabel was walking with her, holding her hand. Those two were absolutely inseparable, so it was useless to try and get Annabel to stay behind.

With the two hare maidens standing at the edge of the bed, the Abbot leaned over Hiro's unconscious body.

"Hiro, might I have a word..." The Abbot reached out and touched the mouse's shoulder. Instantly, Hiro went from dead asleep to wide awake. His hand instantly had a blade in it. The metal glinted as it was pressed against the Abbot's throat. Every creature in the room froze. It took a few seconds for Hiro to realize where he was. When he saw who he was holding the knife to, he lowered the weapon.

"Sorry." Hiro said. "A nasty little habit I developed during the sieges." The Abbot stepped back, rubbing his throat. He was suddenly grateful that it was still there.

"We checked you, where were you keeping the knife?" The Abbot asked. Hiro gave him a stern look that radiated with "you don't want to know." The Abbot didn't feel like asking again.

"Excuse me." Tela said. Hiro turned his head and put his knife back into his robes. "Um...I... want to thank you, for saving my life." Hiro stared at her for a moment, as if he didn't know what she was talking about. Then, as if struck by an epiphany, he lifted his head.

"Oh, right." Hiro said. "You're welcome." Everyone stared at him. Had he forgotten about the rat he had beheaded? Hiro read their expressions. "I'm not used to being thanked." The Abbot relaxed a little. He wasn't quite sure how to deal with Hiro at the moment. Hiro's blue eyes were studying the two hare maids in front of him. His sapphire orbs studied one's face, then the other. He then stared at their hands, intertwined with each other's. Annabel didn't like the way he was looking. She stepped forward and swept Tela behind her.

"I'm sorry." Hiro said. "Who are you two?" The Abbot cocked an eyebrow. This was the first time Hiro had asked about people at the abbey. Annabel, a little taller than her sister, glared at Hiro.

"I'm Annabel." She stated. "And this is my sister, Tela."

"Sister?" Hiro asked. The Abbot stepped forward.

"Yes." He stated. "Daire and his wife found poor Annabel as a babe in the woods. They've been raising her as their own ever since."

"**Adopted** sister." Hiro corrected to himself. "I see..." His blue eyes studied Annabel a moment further. She returned his gaze harshly. "It's of no consequence."

'Then why did you ask?' The Abbot thought. Some rest, however, seemed to have loosened Hiro's tongue. He was probably more likely to speak now. The Abbot decided to take advantage of the situation.

"Would you like some more food?" He asked Hiro. Hiro's head quickly perked up. He was still as thing as a ghost and at risk of being blown away by a casual breeze.

"I would love some." Hiro stated.

"Good, now come to my office, there is a tray of food for you."

In the Abbot's office, Hiro was, once again, crudely stuffing his face. Abbot Duncan didn't mind. The poor mouse had been starved for quite some time. The Abbot figured that manners could wait until his strength was back up. He patiently waited for Hiro to finish before asking questions.

"Tell me about this army." The Abbot said.

"What do you want to know?" Hiro asked, picking crumbs from his whiskers and putting them into his mouth.

"How many are there really?" The Abbot asked. "They couldn't possibly be ten thousand."

"Hmm..." Hiro said, pensively. "At the time of the siege of Nan-po, the number of soldiers in the Emperor's army was around 1,500. This was after two previous invasions, so we were pretty beaten down. They had enough to break through that many in a siege and slaughter everyone. It was a very formidable city, with high walls and defenses, maybe...seven thousand...six thousand at the very least. They've likely swollen their ranks since their successful campaign." The Abbot felt lightheaded again. This was an almost insurmountable army. Their small abbey couldn't possibly withstand that!

"What do you advice we do?" The Abbot finally asked. Hiro's blue eyes stared at the Abbot. They were empty, and somehow cold.

"You must be practical." Hiro said. "Considering that they have no mercy for children, they must be taken away from here. I don't know where, but away. All those willing to die must stay. All those wanting to live must leave."

"You talk as if there is no chance of winning."

"I talk from experience. I starved for two seasons fending off these vermin. Time and time again they threw themselves against the walls until they broke. I only survived because...because..." Hiro fumbled with his words. It was something that had not happened before. The Abbot leaned in close.

"Because...?" He said, egging Hiro on. Hiro took a deep breath.

"Because I wanted to live...more than anything else." Hiro spoke as if it were shameful. The Abbot was perplexed.

"There's nothing wrong with that." The Abbot replied.

"No?" Hiro's eyes became cold and dark. "I was sworn to defend my Emperor till death, to uphold his orders until my last breath, even if I had to throw myself to the dogs to do it. Instead I hid behind the dead and crawled away like the lizards that attacked us. I told myself that I did it so I can reap revenge at the impenetrable Redwall Abbey. Now that I see what this place is...and what it faces I know the truth." Hiro's eyes fell onto the ground. "I just ran away. The last of the Emperor's Elite guard just...ran..." The Abbot could see the weight of the world fall on Hiro's shoulders. That was when he realized the awful truth about Hiro...he was broken. His body wasn't the only thing in pain and malnourished. His spirit had been crushed, his emotions bled dry and his agony had crusted around his heart...then he had to walk until his feet broke open and bled. The Abbot sighed and leaned over towards Hiro.

"I don't know anything about you Hiro." Abbot Duncan began. "But there are a few things I know about life. One of which is that the will to live is the strongest instinct that we have. If it weren't there, we wouldn't survive at all. There is no shame in escaping from an impossible situation and then living on."

"It's not that simple for me." Hiro replied. The Abbot sighed.

"There was a mouse one that I think came close to your situation. He lost his entire family, was enslaved and lost the love of his life in battle. He was actually one of the founders of this Abbey. Despite losing so much, he still continued to live on. He is one of our Abbey's most venerated forefathers. His name was Martin the Warrior..." The Abbot was prepared to go on, but Hiro's head jerked up. His eyes brightened as if he just remembered something.

"Martin...the warrior...?" Hiro muttered. "That...that..." His mind began grappling with blurry images. As if by fate, the door to the Abbot's office swung open. Daire Lopear and Judy jumped into the room. They instantly walked over to Hiro.

"There you are ol' chap!" Daire shouted. He seized onto Hiro and lifted him to his feet.

"Hey!" Hiro shouted. "Don't touch me!"

"No complaining!" Judy shouted over him. She pushed Hiro from behind, forcing him out the door.

"What's the meaning of this!" Abbot Duncan shouted.

"Come with us and we'll explain!" Judy shouted over her shoulder.

"Ol' dream talker needs to see somethin'!"

Hiro complained the whole way, but didn't draw a weapon. He figured that if they wanted to kill him, they would have done so while he was sleeping. Instead, they dragged him into the main hall. When they stopped, Hiro jerked his arm away.

"Don't just drag me around!" Hiro shouted. "What do you want!" Daire pointed to a wall with a tapestry. Hiro turned his head and gazed at it.

"Anythin' familiar?" Daire asked. Hiro's face fell when his eyes fell on the timeless picture of Martin in his armor. For a few moments, Hiro said nothing.

"What is this!" He finally shouted.

"You talk in your sleep." Judy stated. "You mentioned Martin's name. Look familiar?"

"But...that's...I haven't seen this tapestry before, how could I have dreamed about Martin!"

"Perhaps he sent you a vision." The Abbot said, finally arriving. "It has happened before."

"I don't believe in any religious nonsense." Hiro said shrewdly.

"These visions are surprisingly accurate." The Abbot replied. "And what are the odds of you dreaming of him without even knowing about him?"

"But...I don't..." Hiro was fumbling as the animals in the room began closing in on him.

"What did he say?" Judy demanded.

"I...uh...I..." Hiro tried to think. His mind was a complete blur, and his dreams weren't coming in clearly.

"Out with it old chap!" Daire shouted.

"Shut-up! I'm thinking!" All three of the beasts back down. Hiro poked his thoughts, trying to remember a dream. It was a difficult thing to do. Before he could ponder it further, Darendin burst into the Great Hall, Martin's sword at the ready. Hiro eyed it, now realizing just what it was.

"There's an animal outside the Abbey walls!" The warrior of Redwall Abbey announced. "It's a ferret! He's armed, but demands on being allowed inside."

"More vermin!" The Abbot shouted. "Turn him away!" Hiro turned away and gazed at the tapestry. It seemed like a problem solved to him.

"One more thing!" Darendin shouted back. "His fur is a lighter color, like Hiro's." Hiro jerked his head around. As if by magic, Hiro darted out of the room, before any of the other people in the hall could blink.

Corg the shrew stood on the wall above the gate, staring down at the ferret. The animal was dressed in strange armor, but the abbey had dealings with ferrets before, particularly a traitorous one that nearly resulted in deaths.

"Get lost vermin!" Corg shouted. "Or I'll throw rocks at you!"

"Big threat!" The ferret shouted. "Look, the stone of this place is red! Is this Redwall or not!"

"You not allowed to know!" Corg shouted back. "Now get lost, your kind isn't allowed here!"

"Fine, die in agony!" The ferret retorted. "But don't come crying to me when real vermin are beating down your door!" The animal turned to leave. He took two steps away, before someone jumped on the wall beside Corg.

"Where do you think you're going jackass?" Hiro asked crudely. The ferret froze. He turned his head very, very slowly.

"I don't believe it." The ferret said. His eyes met Hiro's. "Of all the people to survive, why did it have to be you?"

"Don't be picky!" Hiro replied, smiling for the first time. Corg was a little put off by his behavior. "Hold on, I'll let you in." Corg was going to protest, but Hiro took a few steps backwards and dropped off the wall. The shrew flinched and ran over to the edge. He discovered Hiro unhurt and walking towards the gate. The old shrew shivered.

"I hate it when he does that..." Corg muttered. Before anyone could stop him, Hiro easily lifted the bar over the door himself and threw it away. He pulled both great doors open. The ferret walked through the doors, a smug expression on his face.

"So this is Redwall..." The ferret muttered, staring around and sniffing the air. Many of the inhabitants had run out of their places to see what was going on. "Not much to look at..."

"It's an abbey." Hiro replied.

"An abbey!" The ferret shouted. "Oh...we are in so much trouble..."

"Don't I know it." Hiro retorted.

"Hiro," The Abbot asked, approaching the two. "Who is your...friend?"

"We're not friends." The ferret said.

"We don't like each other." Hiro said. "However, he was a soldier in the Emperor's army. His name is Zhou." Zhou politely bowed to the Abbot and all the inhabitants. Abbot Duncan was slightly put off by this action. The only ferrets he had seen and read about were vermin. This one however, was slightly different. Zhou turned to Hiro. As if first noticing his emaciated condition, the ferret wrinkled his nose.

"What happened to you!" He shouted.

"I walked." Hiro said.

"So did I." Zhou replied.

"Without stopping." Hiro said. The two began circling each other, as if sizing each other up for a fight. The Abbot became nervous. What were they doing! "What about you? What happened to you?"

"I was at the Battle of the Forked Zhonke, at the river's head." Zhou explained. "When they broke through our center and killed our commander, I ran into the woods. I slinked around, trying to find a way to kill those damn lizards. I couldn't get close enough though. Zhi was with me actually." Hiro narrowed his eyes. The Abbot didn't like the look in Hiro's eyes.

"Your pretty little white-furred girlfriend." Hiro said. "I suppose you two hid until the fighting was over?"

"No, we tried to assassinate the lizards, remember?" Zhou's words became bitter and harsh. "They caught her and ate her in front of the army." Hiro flinched.

"Sorry." He said. Zhou didn't seem as if he accepted the apology.

"I hid until I could get my chance...but..." Zhou stopped walking. "I saw Nan-po burning and I knew it was over. I began moving south, to find Redwall."

"How did I beat you here?" Hiro asked.

"I was held up by some rather nasty frogs." Zhou explained. "I finally escaped and made my way here. I see you survived, both of us ran. I don't see how you could judge me, since you were part of the Emperor's elite guard..." Hiro's eyes flashed with white-hot anger. The Abbot, as well as most of the other inhabitants, flinched, fearing a confrontation.

"I was at Nan-po." Hiro said, through gritted teeth. "I hid under two pieces of the same body and crawled into the river to get away." Zhou shrunk back a little at hearing Hiro's tale.

"Sorry." Zhou said, mirroring what Hiro had said earlier.

"I can see you don't like each other." The Abbot said, interjecting. "However, we are all on the same side, perhaps we can put our differences aside?" Zhou and Hiro stared at each other, resentfully.

"Perhaps we should ally then?" Zhou asked. "We'll finish this later?"

"That's it." Hiro said, raising his head. Zhou cocked his head.

"What?" He asked. Hiro turned to the Abbot.

"I remember what Martin said." Hiro stated. It was the word "ally" that tripped his memory. That word was in Martin's prophecy. Every single one of the Abbey dwellers instantly lifted their heads.

"What did he say?" The Abbot asked.

"I think..." Hiro stated, thinking. "He was telling me how we could win."


End file.
